Comments on: Touchscreens and fingernails, can we ever win?

By: Nick

Nick — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 04:58:00 +0000

capacitive touch screen are conductive, meaning they use electricity to complete the circuit. Also known as your finger tip or any conductive material.
Coin’s, fingers, conductive stylus or rings all work.

By: bluestar

bluestar — Wed, 18 May 2011 06:01:16 +0000

It’s so good to hear other women talk about this issue! Men give me the lamest excuses when I shop for phones and complain about this. I also keep my nails rather short, but they still go just past my fingertips. It’s enough to make tapping those little tiny letters with my actual finder tip a nightmare. I don’t really find a stylus to be a viable option, but it’s so great to just use my nail. I wish there was a special nail polish that could transform a fingernail into a stylus! My husband recently got a phone with capacitive touch and I’ve really tried to get better at the tapping with no luck. However, I have found that I am actually pretty good with the Swype method, where you just slide your finger across the keyboard to the next letter.

By: Dave P

Dave P — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 03:54:49 +0000

If you want a top of the line smartphone with a resistive touch screen, you might try the Nokia N900 which just came out. While it doesn’t yet have the range of apps that the iPhone has, it is a Linux based OS which means there are a wealth of apps waiting to be ported over.

By: Amy Zunk

Amy Zunk — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 19:20:08 +0000

Yep. I had no idea those type of styli were available. I saw styli that claimed to work, but I didn’t trust it. But, if I can find ones that are capacitive compatible, you just opened up a new world for me. Thanks!

By: bluemonq

bluemonq — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 19:15:18 +0000

Well at least Amy’s problem is solved, since she didn’t know about styli that are capacitive-compatible Capacitive screen technology requires a conductive surface; nails just don’t provide enough conductive surface. And screen tech isn’t at the point where one can cram both a resistive and capacitive touch system into a phone.

I dislike resistive screens because of a trade-off that has to be made: either you have one with a soft, easily scratched surface, or one that is less responsive.

If using a mass-market product bothers you, you can look into making your own stylus with conductive thread. Making a circle about 1/3 of an inch in diameter should be enough.

By: then

then — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 10:26:13 +0000

But it feels really stupid to have to use a stylus when you have your own, built-in tools, i.e your nails – it’s faster to use them and you never risk losing them.

By: bluemonq

bluemonq — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 06:37:18 +0000

Carly Z has the right idea. Those Pogo styli – tipped with a conductive material – have been around for a while to deal with gloved hands and the like, but should be the solution to your problem.

By: then

then — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 00:40:34 +0000

Long live resistive screens! There are quite a few nice high-end smart phones with resistive screens out there.

Recently I had a long conversation about this problem with a Samsung rep. I was astonished when he immediately understood my requirements for a good touch phone; he took a look at my nails and said “You want resistive, right?”.
Normally you always have to do a show and tell before they get the problem.

BTW, I’m willing to help Aura Mae out if she gets too many phones to test.

By: Carly Z

Carly Z — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 21:12:31 +0000

What about something like the Pogo Stylus? http://www.thinkgeek.com/gadgets/cellphone/b8dd/?cpg=froogle

By: Aura Mae

Aura Mae — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 17:18:51 +0000

Sister, I feel your pain.

I love it when I am approached by an iPhone evangelist who thinks I (and everyone on earth) should have one. It only takes a second for me to show them how I can’t work it with my nails. They are always stunned, because they usually don’t know a capacitive screen from their arse.

I have used resistive screens for years and they have gotten more responsive, requiring less pressure and have provided a great user experience for this girl. I too am concerned about my next phone. I have a crush on the HTC HD2, but I have to give the screen a try. (I did read that they will be releasing a stylus that works with it soon.)

My cry to all the phone designers has always been to please let some girly-girls test your phones before you send them to market! (I am ready $ willing…)